THE IMPACT OF FINANCING INFRASTRUCTURAL FINANCING

ABSTRACT

The analysis shows the effect of administrative/ management lags and lapses in the implementation of infrastructural policies. Consequently, there was a lag in the budgeting of funds for projects, inadequate planning and poor government attention on ongoing projects that lead to their abandonment by contractors. Part of developments in any country, state or local government, is widely held to be infrastructural. Infrastructural development, in a simplistic sense, connotes the increasing improvement in industries and production processes leading to greater output of goods and services as well as the welfare of the citizenry. A total of three (3) questionnaires were subjected to statistical analysis, using sample mode, percentage, and frequency count to deduce the information needed.  Emphasis was equally given to the numerous achievement of the government under-discuss. They include, the Ibom airport project, independence power plant, Amakpe refinery, resources petroleum refinery, educational infrastructures, roads, transportation, etc. recommendation was given that, in order to curtail the lag and lapses, government should make adequate budgeting, give 100% attention to ongoing project and overall prudent management of policies adopted.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION (BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY)

Part of developments in any country is widely held to be infrastructural. Infrastructural development, in a simplistic sense, connotes the increase and improvement in industries and production processes leading to greater output of goods and services as well as the welfare of the entire citizenry. In Akwa Ibom infrastructural development has taken a central place in the various development plans or programs with the ultimate goal of breaking the vicious circle of poverty and under development. In spite of the lofty development plans, which focused on infrastructural development in Akwa Ibom State, the state is still lagging behind when compared with some of its contemporaries in the league of states in Nigeria. With the burst in oil revenues and other rest natural resources, Akwa Ibom was viewed to have reached the turning point and set forth in the path to economic growth and industrial development. Contrary to expectation, Akwa Ibom is apparently lagging behind its aforementioned contemporaries. There seem to be some missing links in the path to infrastructural development attempts have been made to explain the rather paradox; one key factor seems to the recurring and to which the backwardness in our infrastructural development has been attributed to. This, of course, is due to a lack of sufficient capital. Infrastructural development involves massive and intensive Investment in Capital Stock i.e. Stock of productive assets. Since these represent long-term investment, it is thus expedient to source for the appropriate finance to meet the nature of investments financial institutions like banks are saddled with the important role of financial intermediation by mobilizing and channeling funds towards productive capacity generation and expansion. Between 1987, when the state was created and 1999, Akwa Ibom has witnessed an exponential increase in the numbers of banks (commercial and merchant). Naturally, the same burst was expected in the level of savings and amount of loanable funds available for investment in the industrial sector that world takes the economy out of the doldrums it would be an over-simplification to assume an equal proportional relationship between the numbers of banks and availability of loanable funds for infrastructural investment. To what extent have Bank been able to fulfill this all-important role? It is widely held that banks in Nigeria have not performed adequately well in providing finances for infrastructural development. The banking sector is narrow and lacks the depth that is critical in improving infrastructure and creating the conditions that are congenial for private sector participation in the infrastructural and industrial development processes. Akwa Ibom State Government, under the leadership of Obong Victor Attah, was able to establish a number of development strides to aid infrastructural development one of such stride was the establishment of investment and industrial promotion council tagged AKIIPOC. The Akwa Ibom investment and industrial promotion council, AKIIPOC is a statutory body established by an act of parliament of Akwa Ibom state house of Assembly. Owing to the lack of adequate socio, economic facilities in Akwa Ibom State, it became imperative that in order for the state to undergo a social and commercial transformation, the establishment of AKIIPOC was a necessity.

1.2   AKWA IBOM STATE MAP

1.3   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Akwa Ibom State, with a population of 3.4 million people was created in 1987. Like every other state, Akwa Ibom faces numerous infrastructural challenges. Its unique set of challenges can, therefore, incorporate: very low per capita income, absolute poverty, inadequate infrastructural facilities, including water supply, unemployment, Urbanization poorly equipped laboratories and libraries and shortages of health services institutions. It is this sort of negative situation in spite of abundant natural and human resources that has to warrant the investigation of the ways and means of financing the infrastructural facilities, particularly in the state. Adequate infrastructural facilities are necessary for the overall development of every sector of the economy. In the wake of liberalization and globalization. Its presence and importance for the proper growth of small and medium enterprises cannot be underestimated in spite of all this, the small and medium scale enterprises are constantly facing the problem of infrastructural bottlenecks, which restrict their day-to-day business operations, as well as their future growth prospects infrastructure needed by entrepreneurs, includes all kinds of transportation facilities like railways, waterways, roads and airways. Lack of any of these can cause serious damages to the firm’s value chain process, that is to the production-consumption and distribution of the product of small and medium entrepreneurs, who already face problems of lack of finance, inadequate marketing facilities, technical obsolescence etc some of the major problems faced by small scale entrepreneurs are: inadequate infrastructural facilities create the problem of acute shortage of basic raw materials, especially those that are scarce and needed to be imported from distance place, needed by small and medium scale entrepreneur or enterprises. Small and medium enterprises in Akwa Ibom state find it difficult to distribute their product to the markets located at far off places because of incomplete construction or non-existence of basic roads. Lack of proper airways and waterways facilities also restrict the growth prospect of those medium/ small scale firms whose target market are located abroad. Shortage of power supply, due to which they are unable to make full utilization of plant capacity. Most of them find it difficult to install their own power generating plants. Hence, small-medium scale entrepreneurs continued to face the problem of infrastructure bottlenecks in terms of the presence of inadequate transportation facilities, lack of funds, etc.  Looking at the state of infrastructure today, there is the need to carry on the level of tax compliance by businesses and individuals. To this end, not a few tax experts are of the view that the only way to give back to businesses is by improving the state of infrastructure which will help their business grow, because an improve infrastructure system reduces firm operational cost which then improves or increases profit margin. Without a doubt, the need for improving infrastructure cannot be overemphasized. For instance, nonutilization of tax proceeds contributes to losses entrepreneurs face in their businesses resulting from poor infrastructure. Ordinarily, investors and manufacturers are supposed to leverage the services provided by the government to facilitate their operations.

1.4  OBJECTIVES (PURPOSE OF THE STUDY) THE PURPOSE  OF THIS STUDY IS TO:

find out the problem of financing infrastructural facilities in Akwa Ibom State. Examine the sources of revenue that could be channeled to the provision of infrastructural facilities in the state. Highlight the priority areas of infrastructural facilities in the face of scarce resources and Find out the ways and means of minimizing the problem of financing infrastructural facilities.

1.5   SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This section tends to limit itself to the methods and instrument of financing infrastructural facilities in Akwa Ibom State only. On this note, I would get the financial data from the budget department, ministry of finance and project monitoring department and evaluation department of the ministry of the economic department for presentation and analysis. Inadequate time and money and the period to submit the research project are the limiting factors to this research work, otherwise, the investigation would extend to other government agencies and local governments for even more details analysis of wider information.

METHOD OF THE STUDY

The method of the study is concerned with gathering information from both primary and secondary data for analysis. Use of research question is to be considered as well as questionnaires which the researcher would send to respondents in the designated department.

1.7   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What were the problems involved in financing the construction of roads and bridges and other infrastructural facilities? What were the flows/lapses in the implementation of infrastructural policies by the government? What were the sources of revenue channeled to capital projects?

1.8   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research work would stand as a reference document to the subsequent Akwa Ibom State Government. Furthermore, this work would be a source of secondary data to persons who would wish to go into research work, particularly, students of business and financial studies in the polytechnics and even universities. The study would further be of importance to those in private and public administration.

1.9  DEFINITION OF TEAMS

Infrastructure: The basic system and services which are necessary for a country or an organization
Ampico: Akwa Ibom investment and industrial promotion council.
Analysis: The detailed study or examination of something in other to understand more about it or a careful examination of substance in order to find out more about it
Development: The gradual growth of something so that it becomes more advanced, stronger, etc.
Financing: The process of giving money to run a business or project.
Banks: an organization that provides various financial services for example keeping or lending of money
Government: The group of people that are responsible for controlling a country or a state.
Globalization: The process, for example, a company, operates all around the world.
Liberation: To free a person or country from the control of something or control of somebody else.

1.10   ORGANIZATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will be discussed in five (5) chapters with a view of exploring the entire curriculum of the subject matter.

Chapter one will establish the general overview of the subject matter which contains, the background of the study, statement of the problem purpose of the study, research question significance of the study, organization of the study and definition of terms.

Chapter two (2) will review the related life nature with a quest of knowing the general trend of financing infrastructural facilities in Akwa Ibom State.

Chapter three (3) will show the research design and procedures

Chapter four (4) will make a general analysis of data as well as interpretation of such data

Finally, chapter five (5) will establish a relevant conclusion as well as recommendations.

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